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While this tutorial may be outdated as far as the method goes, the concept still applies. If you're using the plugin, instead of saving files individuals, just place them on different layers (first on the bottom).

NOTE: Paint.NET does NOT support animated images! This means another program will have to be downloaded in addition. I provide a link to a program I use, however there are many out there with similar functions.

I've noticed a lot of people get frustrated when another newcomer comes and asks if it is possible to make moving pictures with PDN. Well, I think I answered this question in a reply before, but this is how I use Paint.NET to make animated .gif pictures:

How to animate:

Save each frame as a seperate .gif image. Each frame should gradually approach the desired result.

-Good idea to make a new folder and name the frames "1.gif" "2.gif" "3.gif" etc..

Download the program here UnFreez There are many more GIF animators out there that you can use. This is just one of many.

If you don't know how to download/locate/run this program, just follow these steps. Go to the link above, click the link labeled "Download UnFREEz (19.5 KB)" near the bottom. Make sure you save it in a place you can find later. Next, simply go to that location, double click the downloaded folder, then double click the program, then click run. There, it's open and ready for use.

Now, simply drag the .gif files from the folder you saved them in into the space provided in UnFreez then press "Make Animated GIF" and save.

TIP: If you select gif.1 then hold shift and select gif.20 it will select all 20 files. You can also select multiple files while holding the control key. You can drag all of these files into UnFreez at once, but make sure you drag from the first file while all files are selected. This will add the files to the UnFreez interface in order.

You can also choose whether the animation will repeat or not. And, how fast it plays the frames.

And there you go... an animated .gif!

Great for smilies!

This can be used to provide fading effects, moving objects, and many other effects.

Here are some examples of things you can do.

<- click for full size

<- click for full size

How to make your frames:

As I said, each frame should gradually approach the desired result. This basically means you want to have an origonal image, plus a desired result, plus everything in between. The following are some basic examples of how to go about this.

Fading an object in/out:

Have a background image as a constant.

On a new layer, have the object that you wish to fade in/out. Save the normal image as 1.gif, then change the opacity of the layer by 25 for each image, as shown:

n.gif :: Layer Opacity

1 :: 255

2 :: 225

3 :: 200

4 :: 175

5 :: 150

6 :: 125

7 :: 100

8 :: 75

9 :: 50

10 :: 25

11 :: 0

Moving an Object:

Have a background image as a constant.

On a new layer, have the object that you wish to move. Save the normal image as 1.gif, then change the location of the layer by (in this example) 10px for each image, as shown:

n.gif :: Object's Distance

1 :: 0

2 :: 10

3 :: 20

4 :: 30

5 :: 40

6 :: 50

n :: 10n-10

Gradually Blurring:

Have a background image as a constant.

On a new layer, have the object that you wish to blur. Save the normal image as 1.gif, then change the blur of the layer by (in this example) 20px for each image, as shown:

n.gif :: Object's Blur

1 :: 0

2 :: 20

3 :: 40

4 :: 60

5 :: 80

6 :: 100

n :: 20n-20

The same process applies for almost any animation you can think of. For example, in the spinning 'Hellfire010' sphere (above) the plugin Shape3D was used. Each frame was different by 15 degrees, starting at 0 (same as 360) and ending at 345. When put together, it appears to be spinning.